Compare the2027 Dodge Durango VS 2026 Honda Pilot

The Durango has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Pilot doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Durango. But it costs extra on the Pilot.

Both the Durango and the Pilot have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available crash mitigating brakes and lane departure warning systems.

The Dodge Durango weighs 591 to 1044 pounds more than the Honda Pilot. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Dodge Durango is safer than the Honda Pilot:

	Durango	Pilot
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	74	382
Neck Stress	236 lbs.	350 lbs.
Neck Compression	11 lbs.	101 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	295	440
Neck Injury Risk	26%	33.6%
Neck Stress	156 lbs.	232 lbs.
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	98 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	303/32 lbs.	396/388 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Dodge Durango is safer than the Honda Pilot:

	Durango	Pilot
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	46	53
Hip Force	236 lbs.	276 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	50	100
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	446 lbs.	540 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	194	340

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 2 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Honda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Durango’s warranty.

The Dodge Durango’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Pilot’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshaft in the Durango’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Pilot’s camshafts. If the Pilot’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Durango has a standard 700-amp battery. The Pilot’s 650-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

The Durango’s standard 5.7 V8 produces 75 more horsepower (360 vs. 285) and 128 lbs.-ft. more torque (390 vs. 262) than the Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Durango R/T 392’s standard 6.4 V8 produces 190 more horsepower (475 vs. 285) and 208 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 262) than the Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Dodge Durango 5.7 V8 is faster than the Honda Pilot:

	Durango	Pilot
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	14.9 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	92.9 MPH	91.9 MPH

The Durango has 6.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Pilot (24.6 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the Durango w/Tow N Go’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Pilot:

	Durango w/Tow N Go	Pilot
Front Rotors	15 inches	13.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	13 inches

The Durango’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Pilot are solid, not vented.

The Durango stops much shorter than the Pilot:

	Durango	Pilot
70 to 0 MPH	175 feet	189 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the Durango has larger standard tires than the Pilot (265/50R20 vs. 255/50R20). The Durango’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Pilot (295/45R20 vs. 265/60R18).

The Durango’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Pilot EX-L’s standard 60 series tires. The Durango’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Pilot Sport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Durango has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Pilot EX-L.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires optional on the Durango can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Pilot doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Durango has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Pilot’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Durango offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Pilot’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Durango offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Pilot doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Durango has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Pilot doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Durango’s wheelbase is 6 inches longer than on the Pilot (119.8 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

The Durango’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Pilot’s (55.3% to 44.7%). This gives the Durango more stable handling and braking.

The Durango R/T 392 handles at .85 G’s, while the Pilot Elite pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Durango R/T 392 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Pilot TrailSport (27.4 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Durango GT has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Pilot (7.8 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Durango to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Durango easier. The Durango’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31.4 inches, while the Pilot’s liftover is 33.2 inches.

The Durango’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Pilot’s (7200 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Honda Pilot 4WD is only 5000 pounds. The Durango offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Durango GT can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Durango can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Pilot can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Durango uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pilot uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the Durango is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Pilot. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The Durango’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Pilot does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Durango’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Pilot’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Durango’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Pilot’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Durango’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition.

The Durango has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Pilot TrailSport/Elite/Black Edition.

The Dodge Durango has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the overhead console. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Homelink® is only available on the Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition.

Compared to traditional radio, the Dodge Durango’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Dodge Durango has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition offers wireless charging.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Durango third among upper midsize suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Pilot isn’t in the top three.